Shell tag



Dec. 27, 1932. LESTER 1,892,580

SHELL TAG Filed Aug. 15. 1952.

' INVENTOR James 1/. infer" Patented Dec. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES PATE T oFFIcE SHELL TAG Application filed August 18, 1932. Serial No. 628,623.

This invention relates to improvements in shell tags and is particularly referred to means for tagging oyster shells.

The objects of the invention are to enable tag to be applied to and retained by an oyster shell until the oyster reaches the customer; to avoid any injury to the shell or oyster in applying the tag; to avoid the use of paper or other perishable tags; to maintain the tag attached and legible notwithstanding the presence of water or moisture; to secure simplicity of construction and operation; and to obtain other advantages and results as may be brought out in the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawing in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views;

Figure 1 is a plan of an oyster shell with a tag applied thereto in accordance with my invention; and

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of line 22 of Figure 1.

In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in said drawing, the reference numeral 1 indicates an oyster shell to which tag 2 is applied. The tag is preferably of metal or other material which will retain its character in the presence of water or moisture. As here shown one end of the tag is attached to the shell and the other end is free. Furthermore, as shown, the attached end 3 is separated from the free end 4: by a reduced neck 5. This reduced neck will confine normal bending of the tag to the neck and thus relieve the attached end from a large part of the strain which it would otherwise undergo when a bending moment is applied to the tag were this neck not present.

The attached end 3 of the tag has a hole 6 therethrough. In attaching the tag to the oyster, I employ a connecting medium 7 This material is applied in a pasty condition to a limited area of the shell and with a considerable thickness of said medium. The tag is then pressed into this connecting medium so as to force some of it through the hole 6. A protruding portion of this connecting medium is then caused to overlie a margin of.

hole 6 in the nature of a rivet head 8. As soon as the connecting medium is hardened,

the tag is'held in place thereby and the oyster is ready for shipment.

The connecting medium employed is preferably of a cementitious character which will adhere to either a dry or wet-surface, and is of a character such that it will have particularly firm adhesion to the shell. I find that a material made from fish, that is to say, a fish glue, fulfills the requisites of the invention both because such a glue or cementadso heres very tenaciously to the shell and also because it can be given the desired consistency to readily enter crevices of the shell for securing the desired adhesion and will dry with sulficient rapidity to enable the tag to be applied and the oyster handled without material delay thereafter.

Having thus described the invention, I claim 7 1. The combination of a shell and means for identifying the same, said means comprising a flexible waterproof tag projecting from said shell and having a hole at one end, and a connecting medium adhering to the shell and passing through said opening and terminating in an enlarged head, said medium being formed of an originally plastic material which becomes hardened after a short interval of time. I

2. The combination of a shell and means for identifying the same, said means comprising a waterproof tag having a part to be held in a fixed relation with respect to the shell, said part having a hole therethrough, said tag providing another part spaced from' said hole and contiguous to the first said part with a flexible connection thereto whereby the second mentioned part may project in desired relationship with respect to the shell, and a connecting medium adhering to the shell and passing through said opening and terminating in an enlarged head, said medium being formed of an originally plastic material which becomes hardened after a short interval of time.

3. The combination of a shell and means for identifying the same, said means comprising a waterproof tag having a part to-be held with respect to the shell, said part having a hole therethrough, said tag providing another part spaced from said hole and contiguous to the first said part with a. reduced flexible neck connecting said parts enabling the tag to readily bend thereat and thereby reduce the leverage effect of a bending moment applied upon the second mentioned part remote from the hole, and connecting material secured to the shell and extending through said hole and terminating there above in an enlarged head for holding said tag upon the shell.

4. The method of marking a shell for identification, which consists in applyinga mass of adhering plastic material to an area of said shell, applyingto said mass a flexible tag haying an opening in one end in such manner that the tag projects from the shell, pressing said tag against the mass so as to force said material through said opening and causing the projecting portion of the mass to spread and form a head of greater diameter than said opening.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the city of Brooklyn, county I of Kings and State of New York, this 12th day of August, 1932. V r it JAMES U. LESTER. 

